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LEVEL 15-18 POST OFFICES

Safety and Health Inspections

Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) 824.33, PC Installations With Less Than One Hundred Workyears, requires an annual safety and health inspection of main facilities, subordinate stations, and branches. Installation heads (IHs) in facilities without full-time safety personnel, or their management designee, act as the collateral duty facility safety coordinator (FSC) (ELM 813.32, Collateral Duty Facility Safety Coordinator).

In offices with fewer than 100 employees, the FSC should lead the inspection (ELM 824.422, Inspection Rules). In offices with 100 or more employees in the main facility, the servicing safety office should conduct the inspection. However, the IH must ensure that subordinate stations and branches with fewer than 100 employees conduct their inspections.

Note: Headquarters will not be conducting any mailings. You can find the inspection checklists and inspection instructions on the Postal ServiceTM Intranet. Go to http://blue.usps.gov and click on:

• Headquarters,

• Safety Resources (under "Human Resources"), and then

• Safety Checklists.

For instructions, click on Annual Safety and Health Inspection Letter of Instruction. For the certification letter, click on Safety and Health Inspection Certification. Postmasters (PMs) or IHs in Level 15 through 18 Post OfficesTM should contact their servicing safety office for technical or programmatic assistance.

The PMs/IHs, or their designees, must:

1. Complete a safety and health inspection using the checklist within 30 days of the date of this Postal Bulletin (1-22-04).

2. Post the inspection.

3. Ensure abatement of all deficiencies in accordance with the instructions.

4. Certify completion of the inspection to the servicing safety office.

- Safety Performance Management,
Employee Resource Management, 1-22-04

REMINDER

Post OSHA Injury and Illness Log

Installation/establishment heads should ensure that OSHA Form 300-A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, is completed for calendar year 2003 and is signed by the facility manager. For information on completing the form, contact your local safety office. Post the form where employee notices are customarily posted by February 1, 2004. Keep the form posted until April 30, 2004. Sign and post the form even if no entries were made.

All documents (OSHA 300, OSHA 300-A, OSHA 301) must be retained in local files for 5 years. For each calendar year, keep the same calendar year documents together in a separate file folder. Complete the logs containing open cases at the end of any calendar year when a case is closed.

- Safety Performance Management,
Employee Resource Management, 1-22-04

Philately

Pictorial Cancellations Announcement

As a community service, the Postal ServiceTM offers pictorial cancellations to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation. A list of events for which pictorial cancellations are authorized appears below. If available, the sponsor of the pictorial cancellation appears in italics under the date. Also provided, as space permits, are illustrations of those cancellations that were reproducible and available at press time.

People attending these local events may obtain the cancellation in person at the temporary Post OfficeTM station established there. Those who cannot attend the event, but who wish to obtain the cancellation, may submit a mail order request. Pictorial cancellations are available only for the dates indicated, and requests must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the requested pictorial cancellation date.

All requests must include a stamped envelope or postcard bearing at least the minimum First-Class Mail® postage. Items submitted for cancellation may not include postage issued after the date of the requested cancellation. Such items will be returned unserviced.

Customers wishing to obtain a cancellation should affix stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice, address the envelope or postcard to themselves or others,insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdiness, and tuck in the flap. Place the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope and address it to: PICTORIAL CANCELLATIONS, followed by the NAME OF THE STATION,ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP+4® CODE, exactly as listed below (using all capitals and no punctuation, except thehyphen in the ZIP+4 code).

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for cancellation, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial cancellation, the Postal Service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

The following cancellations have been extended for 30 days.

December 21, 2003

Postal Service

ROBERTO CLEMENTE WALKER POST OFFICE DEDICATION STATION

POSTMASTER

PICTORIAL CANCELLATION COORDINATOR CARIBBEAN DISTRICT

585 AVE FD ROOSEVELT STE 223

SAN JUAN PR 00936-9996

December 27, 2003

Gobierno Municipal de Hatillo

FESTIVAL DE MASCARAS STATION

POSTMASTER

PICTORIAL CANCELLATION COORDINATOR CARIBBEAN DISTRICT

585 AVE FD ROOSEVELT STE 223

SAN JUAN PR 00936-9996

January 2, 2004

Catedral Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria

CATEDRAL NUESTRA SENORA DE LA CANDELARIA STATION

POSTMASTER

PICTORIAL CANCELLATION COORDINATOR CARIBBEAN DISTRICT

585 AVE FD ROOSEVELT STE 223

SAN JUAN PR 00936-9996

January 2, 2004

Postal Service

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS STATION

POSTMASTER

11805 HWY 231

YOUNGSTOWN FL 32466-9996

The following cancellations have been extended for 60 days.

December 6, 2003

CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS AT OAKLEIGH STATION

POSTMASTER

250 ST JOSEPH ST

MOBILE AL 36601-9813

December 12, 2003

CHRISTMAS IN A RAILROAD TOWN STATION

POSTMASTER

500 S 7TH ST

OPELIKA AL 36801-9998

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 1-22-04

NOTICE

2004 Stamp Poster

In the centerfold, you will find a full-color poster featuring a reproduction of many colorful stamps scheduled to be issued, or remaining on sale, in 2004.

This year's program captures the drama and art in stamps found in the historic and rich paintings of Lewis and Clark, the colorful animation of Disney or Dr. Seuss, and the elegant sculpture of Noguchi. Mailers will want to save the collectible sheets of stamps featuring extraordinary objects of American Indian life, the natural majesty of various cloud formations, and the exotic world of Pacific Coral Reefs.

The following are in this year's program:

• Lunar New Year - Year of the Monkey

• Black Heritage - Paul Robeson

• Love - Candy Hearts

• Wilma Rudolph

• Dr. Seuss

• Columbia University stamped card

• Wedding 1 and 2 oz. - Garden Blossoms

• United States Air Force Academy

• Henry Mancini

• Lewis and Clark Bicentennial stamp

• Lewis and Clark prestige booklet

• American Choreographers - Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Agnes deMille, George Balanchine

• Isamu Noguchi

• Harriton House stamped card

• 2004 Olympic Games: Athens

• R. Buckminster Fuller

• James Baldwin

• American Treasures - Giant Magnolias by Martin Johnson Heade

• USS Constellation

• Art of the American Indian

• Cloudscapes

• Sickle Cell Disease Awareness

• Moss Hart

• Nature of America - Pacific Coral Reef

• Holiday - Santa Ornaments

• Christmas - Madonna and Child by Lorenzo Monaco

• Holiday Celebrations - Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Eid

The stamps are tentatively scheduled for issuance in various months throughout the year. The issue dates, formats, denominations, and design elements are subject to change. We will announce the official date of issuance and design format for each stamp in the Postal Bulletin before its release.

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 1-22-04

Post Offices

HANDBOOK PO-701 REVISION

Motor Vehicle Accident Investigation

Effective January 22, 2004, subchapter 26 of Handbook PO-701, Fleet Management, is revised to clarify requirements and procedures for pursuing claims for damage to Postal ServiceTM-owned or -leased vehicles (and related property damage or personal injury) caused by private parties.

We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of Handbook PO-701 and also into the online version of Handbook PO-701, which is available on the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site; go to http://blue.usps.gov; click on More References, then HBKs.

Handbook PO-701, Fleet Management

* * * * *

2 Vehicle Operations and Utilization

* * * * *

[Revise the title of subchapter 26 to read as follows:]

26 Motor Vehicle Accident Investigation

[Revise parts 261 through 263 in their entirety to read as follows:]

261 General

261.1 Scope

This section involves every aspect of vehicle accident investigation, except for the handling of tort claims filed against the Postal Service. Tort claims procedures related to accident investigation are covered in the Administrative Support Manual, Subchapter 250, and Handbook PO-702, Accident Investigations - Tort Claims.

261.2 Responsibility

261.21 Postal Service

The Postal Service will investigate motor vehicle accidents of any kind that involve its operations, with particular emphasis on those in which a tort claim may be filed by or against the Postal Service.

261.22 Postmasters and Installation Managers

Postmasters and installation managers are responsible for the on-site investigation of all motor vehicle accidents occurring within their premises or operations and involving employees or Postal Service-owned or -leased vehicles.

261.23 Employee's Immediate Supervisor

The immediate supervisor of a driver involved in a motor vehicle accident while on-the-clock and/or in a status covered by the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) must compile or obtain complete accident data. The related tasks include but are not limited to the following:

a. Review Standard Form (SF) 91, Operator's Report of Motor Vehicle Accident.

Note: Postal Service drivers must complete SF 91 in its entirety at the scene of a vehicle accident, except when precluded by medical, safety, or security concerns.

b. Review PS Form 1700, Accident Investigation Worksheet, completed by the accident investigator.

c. Discuss the accident with the driver involved.

d. Based on the discussion with the driver and on information reported on SF 91 and PS Form 1700, complete PS Form 1769, Accident Report (or an authorized alternative), and forward the form (or the authorized alternative) as required.

e. Review the driver's on-duty driving record, determine whether any corrective measures are appropriate, and initiate action as warranted.

f. Within 24 hours of the accident, send copies of the SF 91 and PS Form 1700 to the postmaster or installation manager (or the designee). Send the original SF 91 and PS Form 1700 to the district tort claims coordinator. Also ensure that the district tort claims coordinator receives all photographs, witness statements, and/or police reports associated with the accident. Retain copies of all submitted materials.

262 Reporting Vehicle Accident Damage

262.1 Required Reporting

262.11 Postmaster or Installation Manager

The postmaster or installation manager (or the designee) must record the accident using PS Form 4564, Postal Vehicle Accident Register (or a similar softcopy record), and report to the vehicle maintenance facility (VMF) and to the district tort claims coordinator (for reporting via the Tort Claims Program) any motor vehicle accident involving the following:

a. Injury to any person.

b. Damage to non-Postal Service property.

c. Damage to a Postal Service-owned or -leased vehicle or other Postal Service property.

262.12 VMF Manager

The VMF manager (or the designee) must also record the accident using PS Form 4564 (or a similar softcopy record). Consult instructions accompanying PS Form 1769 (or authorized alternative) for explanation of minor damage and normal wear-and-tear damage.

262.2 Review of PS Form 4564

The VMF manager (or the designee) must review PS Form 4564 (or a similar soft copy record) at least once each month and ensure that Postal Service vehicles are inspected and repaired promptly, and document repair and vehicle replacement costs in support of potential claims for damage caused by private parties to Postal Service-owned or -leased vehicles.

263 Claims for Private Party Damage to Postal Service Vehicles

263.1 Preparing Claims

263.11 Threshold for Recovery

When a private party damages a Postal Service-owned vehicle, or a Postal Service-leased vehicle that is under a contract making the Postal Service responsible for vehicle maintenance and repair, the VMF manager (or the designee) must promptly determine and document the cost of repairs and a temporary or permanent replacement vehicle. The VMF manager must provide these documented costs to the district tort claims coordinator (or the designee), who must initiate a claim for restitution when the amount of damage is estimated at $100 or more and the accident investigation has established that the private party is at fault. (See Part 264 for damage to a Postal Service-owned or -leased vehicle caused by another government agency.)

263.12 Estimating and Documenting Repairs and Replacement

When the Postal Service bills a private party or the private party's insurer, the supporting statement must clearly itemize and identify the following, in a manner that will allow the debtor to reasonably audit the charges:

a. Hours of labor. For completed repairs, use actual hours of labor. Preferably, prepare a claim upon completion of a repair, since documentation of actual costs will be available. For a claim based on pending repairs, use standard estimated repair times for type of vehicle and work required.

b. Cost of labor. For repairs performed by the VMF, use the rate for warranty reimbursement most recently published in a Postal Service Vehicle Maintenance Bulletin. This rate includes both direct personnel and related overhead costs. For outsourced repairs, use the actual cost of labor charged to the Postal Service and include any specific additional costs incurred in the process, such as VMF employee labor or other resources used to tow the vehicle or perform other associated tasks.

c. Cost of parts. Use the actual cost of parts, including shipping costs (if any). If parts are taken from Postal Service-owned or consigned inventory, use the current cost to the Postal Service to replace the part, rather than an average figure for all on-hand parts of the particular type.

d. Replacement costs. The entitlement to damages for loss of use varies from state to state. If you are unsure of the law in your state, consult the General Counsel's National Tort Center. If the Postal Service vehicle will be temporarily unavailable for normal scheduled use, include in the claim an amount based on the scheduled days of service lost multiplied by the daily cost of a rented or leased replacement vehicle (if any). Where permitted by law, include such replacement costs in the claim even if the Postal Service does not acquire a rental or leased vehicle, in order to cover the operational costs of repositioning other vehicles, modifying employee schedules and assignments, and similar impacts caused by the nonavailability of the vehicle. If the Postal Service vehicle was damaged so severely that it cannot be repaired, base the claim for any vehicle that is commercially available on the fair market value of the vehicle, minus the salvage value. When a Postal Service vehicle has been declared a total loss, make temporary-loss-of-use claims (where permitted by law) based on the cost of temporarily renting or leasing a replacement vehicle for a reasonable period of time.

Note: Some Postal Service right-hand-drive (RHD) vehicles, such as an LLV, not only are operationally critical but have unique design features and an unusually long period of expected use. As a result, the Postal Service can argue that there is no comparable commercially available vehicle that it can use to determine a fair market value. Therefore, if such a vehicle was destroyed as a result of private-party damage, the Postal Service can argue it incurred the full cost of the vehicle's replacement at the contract price of the most recently acquired Postal Service RHD vehicle.

263.13 Negotiating Settlements

Frequently, the Postal Service must negotiate damage claims. The Postal Service negotiator must consider various factors, including locally available commercial labor rates that are below Postal Service standard, market pricing of vehicles, state laws, local insurance industry practices, disputed liability issues, etc. If a private party or its insurer disputes issues such as full liability, the standard Postal Service labor rate, the value that the Postal Service places on a vehicle, etc., the Postal Service designee pursuing the claim should conduct the negotiations in the manner that best meets the Postal Service's interest in a fair and speedy recovery. In any situation in which a particular difficulty arises over legal issues, consult the General Counsel's National Tort Center for guidance or assistance.

263.2 Incomplete Collection

If a private party fails to pay or fairly negotiate a Postal Service claim, complete PS Form 1902, Justification for Billing Accounts Receivable, and forward it to the San Mateo Accounting Service Center. Consult the General Counsel's National Tort Center for assistance with affirmative claims when appropriate.

263.3 Acceptance of Payment

Based on the vehicle's assigned location, the appropriate personnel - the General Counsel, the San Mateo Accounting Service Center, or the district tort claims coordinator (or the designee) - shall accept payments in full settlement of claims for damage to Postal Service-owned or -leased vehicles, including vehicle damage debt claims, execution of releases of further liability, and the negotiation of checks and drafts bearing language having the effect of releases.

263.4 Adjustments to Claims

If a claim has been calculated incorrectly and submitted to a private party, the tender of payment identifying an overstatement of damage or costs, if justified, is not considered a compromise but rather an adjustment. The General Counsel, the San Mateo Accounting Service Center, or the district tort claims coordinator (or the designee), as noted in 263.3, handles such adjustments as payment in full satisfaction of the debt.

263.5 Compromise Settlements

A compromise offer is an offer to settle a vehicle damage claim for a lesser amount that is not based on a justifiable overstatement of damage or costs. Only the General Counsel, the San Mateo Accounting Service Center, or the district tort claims coordinator (or the designee) may accept compromise offers.

263.6 Offers in Kind

In case of damage to Postal Service-owned vehicles wherein the private party is responsible, the private party or the designated insurer may offer to reimburse the cost of repair of the damaged vehicle.

* * * * *

- Delivery Vehicle Operations,
Delivery and Retail, 1-22-04

HANDBOOK M-32 REVISION

MODS Operation Numbers

Effective January 22, 2004, Handbook M-32, Management Operating Data System, Appendix A, is revised to reflect changes in the Management Operating Data System (MODS) program. These changes include the elimination of operation numbers, new operations for PARS, CIOSS, APPS, DBCS-EC, DIOSS-EC, UFSM 1000, and name changes for international operation numbers. All of these changes already have been incorporated into MODS.

We will incorporate these revisions to the appendix into the next printed edition of Handbook M-32 and also into the online version of the handbook, which is accessible at the Postal ServiceTM PolicyNet Web site; go to http://blue.usps.gov; click on More References, then HBKs.

Handbook M-32, Management Operating Data System

* * * * *

Appendix A MODS Operation Numbers

[Replace entire contents of Appendix A with the following:]

Acronym Key

AAA/ATS = automatic airline assignment / automatic tray
sleever
ACDC = air contract data collection system
AFCS = advanced facer canceler system
AFSM = automated flats sorting machine
AO = associate post office
APPS = automated package processing system
BCR = barcode reader
BCS = barcode sorter
BMM = bulky mail modification
CIOSS = combined input/output subsystem
CRIS = carrier route information system
CSBCS = carrier sequence barcode sorter
DBCS = delivery barcode sorter
DCS = data collection service
DIOSS = DBCS input/output subsystem
DPS = delivery piece sort
EC = expanded capacity
EEO = equal employment opportunity
FHP = first handling pieces
FMBCR = flat mail barcode reader
FSM = flats sorting machine
FSMOCR = flats sorting machine optical character reader
GPL = global package link
ISS = input subsystem
MLOCR = multiline optical character reader
MPBCS = mail processing barcode sorter
MPLSM = multiposition letter sorting machine
MTE = mail transport equipment
MVS = motor vehicle services
ODIS = origin destination information system
OSS = output subsystem
PARS = postal automated redirection system
RBCS = remote barcode sorter
REC = remote encoding center
SASWYB = semi-automatic scan-where-you-band
SCF = section center facility
SPBS = small parcel and bundle sorter
SSPC = self-service postal center
TACS = time and attendance collection system
TPH = total piece handling
UFSM = upgraded flats sorting machine
VCS = video coding system
VMF = vehicle maintenance facility
VOMA = vehicle operations maintenance assistant